
Puppy parents are often overcome by puppy cuteness.
And the result is that they overlook the importance of clear boundaries. Puppies explore and experiment and are insatiably curious! If puppies get too much freedom too early and not enough supervision, then their curiosity can have some unintended results.
How can you tell if puppy cuteness has led to too much freedom without enough supervision?
Here's a quick way to answer that question: Suppose your puppy's behavior produces unintended results (such as biting, house soiling, etc.). Do you react by thinking how can I get my puppy to STOP doing XYZ? If that's your first thought, you're not alone! And it also suggests that you need to upgrade to more proactive supervision.
What's the problem with asking how to stop your puppy from doing things?
The problem is that your reaction is too late to do much good. You see, timing matters a lot more to dogs than it does to humans. So, the better question is not how to stop something that already happened, but how to proactively stay ahead of the curve and teach good habits so that you prevent problems before they happen!
What does too much unsupervised freedom look like?
- No limit on space. The puppy can go anywhere he wants in the house.
- The puppy doesn't understand impulse control. Until he learns self-control, he will jump on people and not come when he's called if he's distracted.
- Resisting confinement. As a result, he dashes out of open doors, climbs over gates, and fusses unmercifully when confined in a crate.
- All objects are his possessions. When he takes your things, you call it “stealing”. So, he takes your clothing, your food, other personal belongings, and whatever seems interesting and chewable.
- Walking on a leash is more like a tug-of-war than a pleasant outing.
- Handling him for routine grooming or just petting him means dodging sharp puppy teeth or struggling to restrain him.
What does proactive supervision look like?
- You manage indoor and outdoor space with common-sense boundaries.
- Since your puppy has learned good habits for where to potty and where not to potty, there are no messes to clean up.
- Your puppy learns how to wait for permission.
- Because you taught your puppy the “give-and-take” concept, he doesn't steal your stuff.
- Walking on a loose leash makes outings fun for both of you.
- Toys are for biting and not people's hands.
If this sounds like a lot to handle on your own, don't worry.
Go on over to my website and find out all the ways I'm ready right now to help you become a more proactive puppy parent.
For help in a hurry, book a free 30-Minute Discovery Call!
Marilyn
Marilyn Mele
Dog Training with Purposeful Solutions, Expert Personal Coaching, Dedicated to Positive Reinforcement Training
Dog Wisdom Workshop
https://dogwisdomworkshop.com1068 Keener Road
Seymour, TN 37865865-748-7668